Pennsylvania HB 425: An Act amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal Code, providing for J-1 Visa Waiver Physician Grant Program.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 400 PRINTER'S NO. 1820
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 425
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY MARCELL, VENKAT, KHAN, GREEN, HANBIDGE AND INGLIS,
JANUARY 31, 2025
AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
AS AMENDED, JUNE 3, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), entitled
"An act relating to the finances of the State government;
providing for cancer control, prevention and research, for
ambulatory surgical center data collection, for the Joint
Underwriting Association, for entertainment business
financial management firms, for private dam financial
assurance and for reinstatement of item vetoes; providing for
the settlement, assessment, collection, and lien of taxes,
bonus, and all other accounts due the Commonwealth, the
collection and recovery of fees and other money or property
due or belonging to the Commonwealth, or any agency thereof,
including escheated property and the proceeds of its sale,
the custody and disbursement or other disposition of funds
and securities belonging to or in the possession of the
Commonwealth, and the settlement of claims against the
Commonwealth, the resettlement of accounts and appeals to the
courts, refunds of moneys erroneously paid to the
Commonwealth, auditing the accounts of the Commonwealth and
all agencies thereof, of all public officers collecting
moneys payable to the Commonwealth, or any agency thereof,
and all receipts of appropriations from the Commonwealth,
authorizing the Commonwealth to issue tax anticipation notes
to defray current expenses, implementing the provisions of
section 7(a) of Article VIII of the Constitution of
Pennsylvania authorizing and restricting the incurring of
certain debt and imposing penalties; affecting every
department, board, commission, and officer of the State
government, every political subdivision of the State, and
certain officers of such subdivisions, every person,
association, and corporation required to pay, assess, or
collect taxes, or to make returns or reports under the laws
imposing taxes for State purposes, or to pay license fees or
other moneys to the Commonwealth, or any agency thereof,
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33

every State depository and every debtor or creditor of the
Commonwealth," providing for J-1 Visa Waiver Primary Care
Physician Grant Program; and making an appropriation.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known
as The Fiscal Code, is amended by adding an article to read:
ARTICLE I-M
J-1 VISA WAIVER PRIMARY CARE
PHYSICIAN GRANT PROGRAM
Section 101-M. Scope of article.
This article relates to the J-1 Visa Waiver Primary Care
Physician Grant Program.
Section 102-M. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this article
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Conrad 30 waiver." A waiver established under 8 U.S.C. §
1184(l) (relating to admission of nonimmigrants) that authorizes
an individual with a J-1 visa to apply for a waiver of the two-
year foreign residence requirement upon completion of the J-1
Exchange Visitor Program under Federal law.
"Department." The Department of Health of the Commonwealth.
"Designated medically underserved area." The term shall mean
the same as under section 1301 of the act of December 2, 1992
(P.L.741, No.113), known as the Children's Health Care Act.
"Employer." A person, firm, partnership, association or
corporation that:
(1) employs a physician; and
(2) is not owned, under contract or otherwise affiliated
with a health system.
20250HB0425PN1820 - 2 -
<--
<--
<--
<--
<--
<--
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

"Flex 10 waiver." The waiver authorized under 8 U.S.C. §
1184(l)(1)(D) that allows the department to recommend approval
of up to 10 requests from employers that:
(1) are not physically located in a designated medically
underserved area or primary care health professional shortage
area, but that serves patients from one or more designated
areas; and
(2) employ physicians to serve patients in those
designated areas.
"EMPLOYER." A PERSON, FIRM, PARTNERSHIP, ASSOCIATION OR
CORPORATION THAT EMPLOYS A PHYSICIAN.
"Grant." An award of money by the department under the
program.
"HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREA." A DESIGNATION USED TO
IDENTIFY AREAS AND POPULATION GROUPS WITHIN THIS COMMONWEALTH
THAT ARE EXPERIENCING A SHORTAGE OF PHYSICIANS.
"J-1 visa." The classification of individuals authorized to
participate in an approved program for the purpose of teaching,
instructing or lecturing, studying, observing, conducting
research, consulting, demonstrating special skills, receiving
training or to receive graduate medical education or training.
"Physician." A medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy who
primarily